Sign



G. T. SCOTT July 18, 1933.

SIGN

Filed April 22, 1930 INVENTOR BY Q ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1933 uniranisrarss PATENT OFFICE GEORGE '1. SCOTT, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO FRED HOTGHNFJR, OF

LOS ANGELES,

CALIFORNIA SIGN My invention relates to improvements in signs, such as for advertising, for indicating business commodities, streets and buildings, and for analogous purposes.

The object of my invention is to provide a sign or indicating device in which single characters, such. as letters, will be displayed in such a manner'as to read th same from two sides or from opposite directions, whereby single characters serve for two sides or faces of the sign, instead of using two similar sets of characters to show the same subject in two directions as heretofore employed, thereby reducing the cost of the sign, also reducing the cost of maintenance where the sign is illuminated, and attracting observation and interest by the novelty and ingenuity of the sign.

My invention contemplates the use for letters of illuminated tubes having desired formations which in themselves do not form letters and in connection. therewith I provide means to obscure a portion or portions of such formation on one side and a difiierent portion or portions on the opposite side si nilarly, whereby the exposed portions on opposite sides will be observed and will read the same.

My invention also comprises novel details of improvement that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a detail view of a tubular outline for producing various characters; Fig. 2 illustrates means for obscuring a portion of a character, a letter or a tube; Fig. Qais a section on line 256, 2a in Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a face view of a sign having outlines with portions obscured; Fig. & is a section on line 4, 4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a face view of a modified form ofsign; Fig. 6 is a section on line 6, 6 in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is an exploded View of part of Fig. 5.

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The characters of the sign are supported and displayed so as to form a word or words portions on the reverse face.

1930. Serial no. 446,241.

readable the same from opposite sides or in opposite directions as individual letters.

The great majority of words contain one or more letters that are not naturally readable the same from both sides; consequently to produce the desired double or biway reading of such letters, certain outlines must be designed and employed, and must be so modified by obscuring parts thereof from View from each side as to reveal the same letter or symbol from opposite directions. For eX- ample; the letters E, F, G, P and S do not read the same from both directions, but such double, biway reading of a single character is effected by employing an especially designed outline or character and by partially obscuring it correspondingly on each side as illustrated in Fig. 1 and as described in the n t paragraph.

Fig. 1 shows an outline or character of one continuous illuminated translucid tube from which any one of several letters can be made to appear identically the same from opposite directions by obscuring a part of each face of the outline. The tube may be adapted to contain a gas that will be illuminated by reason of electric current to be supplied by means of conductors 7 and 8 connected with the tube, ina well known way, or by other means. To produce the letter S on the face here shown, the portions ab and e-zZ would be obscured; to produce the letter S on the opposite face of the outline, the portions fe and bc would be obscured on the reverse side of Fig. 1. To produce the letter E, the portions a0 and bg would be ohscured on the face shown and corresponding And, mutatis mutandis, appropriate obscurations of various portions of this outline will produce the letters F,P and G. In a similar manner each other letter that does not naturally read the same from both sides can be presented for such double reading by using an appropriate, single outline or character, and by obscuring corresponding parts thereof on the respective opposite faces.

Consequently for signs in which one or more of the characters or letters are not naturally readable the same from opposite sides or directions I provide (in the manner just described) the tubing, for one or more characters, in outline approximating such character, parts of which outline will always be readable the same from opposite sides or directions. On one face of the tubing I obsure a portion thereof so that the remainder of the tubing will read correctly from that side, and on the other side I obscure a different but corresponding portion of the tubing so that the remainder of the tubing on that side will read correctly from such side. For such purpose the tubing may be continuous either in a single circuit for all the characters of a word, or in two or more circuits to include the various characters or let-- ters, or the outlines for the same, in single or in double parallel tubing. In Figs. 3 to 6 the tubing 6 forms an outline, parts of which will be used for observation from opposite sides or directions, such as tne vertical portions 6, and other parts 6 of the tubing will be used, respectively, for observation from one or the other side or direction to complete the letter by obscuring the non-used part on that side. Such obscuring of a part of the outline for the letter may be eifected in various ways, such as by means of paint, enamel, metal or other opaque material placed on the tube, as in Figs. 3 and i, or by spaced walls or plates, as in Figs. 5' to 7. At 15 are metal clips having circular portions eXtending more thanv a semi-circle on the tubing 6 at the place to be obscured and being retained v by spring-gripping pressure, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 2a and 4. Said clips may, as shown, be provided on one edge or on opposite edges or sides with outwardly extending flanges 15a to additionally obscure a port-ion of the tube when viewed at an angle from that side, i. e., with respect to the obscuring side of the clip; thus the forward side only of the tubing will be observable.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate three forms of obscurationv described in the preceding paragraph. The sign presents a word PEP made from three outlines or characters each one of which requires partial obscuring to produce the desired double or two-way reading of each letter and of the entire word. The characters are of illuminated tubing, made, presented, supported in a frame by means of wires 3 and partially obscured as described in detail above. The first character is partially obscured by a metallic clip 15 withflanges 15a; this clip is attached to and obscures the front of the lower part of the right-hand leg of the outline, at 15, as viewed from either direction. The second character is partially obscured by a metallic clip 15 without a flange. The third character illustrates partial obscuration by opaque paint, enamel or similar substance 10 so applied to the tubing that the character appears as the desired letter when viewed from either side.

The sign in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 includes a frame 11 having spaced walls or plates 12 in which the form of the character or letter is cut out at 13, readable properly from the outside of the sign, and between such walls, substantially in register with the openings or cutouts 13, is located the appropriate outline of tubing 6 to be observable through such openings where not obstructed. Appropriate portions 14 of the walls 12 obstruct and obscure one of the portions 6 of the tubing 0 when viewed from one side of the sign, leaving the other portion 6" readable with the'parts 6 properly from one side of the sign, the same effect being produced when the sign is read from the other side, so that some portions of the tubing 6 will be readable from opposite sides or directions at all times. The tubing 6 may be supported and illuminated within the frame in manner before described.

By means of my invention signs may be provided having single characters or letters readable the same from opposite sides or directions, whether the characters be vertically or horizontally disposed, whereby the advantage is gained of exhibiting a given sign in two directions with only one set of characters or letters reduced cost over the known practice of duplicating the characters or letters on opposite sides of a sign where the same is to be read in two directions.

I use the word sign in a broad sense, as my improvement is not only adapted for use for advertising and display purposes, but is also applicable as an indicating means for other purposes, such as markers for streets, for windows, aisles and counters in stores and in analogous situations.

Changes may be made in the details of construction set forth, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now described my invention what I claim is:

1. A sign of the class described including a translucid tube in shape forming an outline for a character, part of said tube being exposed and readable the same from opposite directions, means to obscure one or more other parts of said tube on one side to show a character on the corresponding side, and

means to correspondingly obscure one or more parts of the tube on the other side to show a similar character on the last named side, whereby the exposed portions of the tube will read the same from opposite directions, an illuminating gas within the tube, and means to illuminate said tube for illumihating the character.

2. A sign of the class described including a plurality of tubular outlines for characters, means to illuminate said outlines, part of said outlines being exposed and readable the same from opposite directions, and obscuring means carried by other similar corresponding portions on opposite sides of a tubular outline to obscure said corresponding portions whereby portions of the outlines unobscured by said means will read the same from opposite directions.

3. A sign as set forth in claim 2 inwhich the obscuring means includes a springacting clip fitted on the tubular outline and extending more than a semi-circle around the latter.

4. A sign of the class described including a translucid' tube in shape forming an outline for a character, walls spaced on opposite sides of said tube and having openings in the form of the same character readable from opposite sides, said openings being opposite each other and in register with corresponding portions of the tube on its opposite sides, said walls being provided with means adjacent to the openings to obscure other portions of the tube from observation from the respective obscured sides, whereby the tube is read able the same from opposite directions through similar portions of the openings, means supporting said walls and tube, an illuminating gas within the tube, and means to supply electric current to said gas for illuminating the tube.

5. A sign comprising spaced walls having 0 )posing openings in the form of the same 0 aracter readable the same through each wall from opposite sides, an illuminating tube in the form of an outline for a character located between saidwalls in position to have some portions of the tube similarly observed through said openings from opposite sides, said walls having other portions obscuring other portions of the tube, whereby exposed portions of the tube have the shape of a character, means to support said walls, and means to support said illuminating tube between said walls.

, 6. A sign of the class described including a tube in the shape of an outline for a character having means to illuminate it and a clip fitted on and supported bya portion of the tube on one side thereof and extending partially around the tube, said clip obscuring a portion of the tube, the uncovered portion of the tube on the side having the clip forming a character exposed and readable from said side of the tube.

7. A sign as set forth in claim 6 in which the clip is provided on opposite sides with outwardly extending flanges to fully obscure the covered portion of the tube when viewed at an angle with respect to the obscuring side of the clip.

8. In an electric sign, a hollow sign body, there being character openings in opposite sides of said sign body, and a luminous tube within said sign body in alignment with a pair of character openings in opposing sides, said tube being in the form of a display pattern formed by the superposition of said opposing characters upon each other in reverse,

said opposing sides being closely spaced to each other and said tube lying substantially in a singleplane, there being at leastone point at which said tube crosses itself in said pattern, the portions of said tube at said crossing point being flattened out to reduce the total thickness at the crossing point.

9. In an electric sign, a hollow sign body, there being character openings in opposite sides of said sign body, and a luminous tube within said sign body in alignment with a pair of character openings in opposing sides, said tube being in the form of a display pattern formed by the superposition of said opposing characters upon eachother in re- 1 verse, said opposing sides being closely spaced to each other, the width of the strokes of said character openings being comparable with the width of said tube, said tube lying substantially in a single plane, whereby only 1 those portions of said tube correspond. to either of said characters is exposed to view through the corresponding opening and said tube is visible through a considerable variation of angle of view, said tube crossing itself in at least one place and being flattened at said crossing point to reduce the total tube thickness at said point.

10. A discharge tube in the form of .a display pattern symmetrical on a vertical axis through the center thereof and formed by the direct superposition of a plurality of char.-

acters upon each other, whereby upon obscuring selected portions of said tube the remaining portions are representative of one of said characters with all exposed portions of said tube in alignment with the corresponding portions of the character represented, and means on the opposite sides of said tube to obscure selected portions to represent one character to view, by the remaining portions, to each of the opposite points of View.

11. In an electric sign, a luminous tube in the form of a display pattern formed by the superposition of a plurality of characters upon each other and provided with additional strokes to those thus assembled to complete the pattern so as to be symmetrical on a vertical axis passing through the center thereof whereby upon obscuring selected portions of said tube on either side one of said characters is represented by the portions remaining exposed to that side, and means on the two sides of said tube to obscure selected portions to represent a character to view in each direction by the remaining portions.

12. In an electric sign, a luminous tube in the form of a display pattern formed by the superposition of a plurality of characters upon each other and provided with additional strokes to those thus assembled to complete the pattern so as to be symmetrical on a vertical axis passing through the center thereof whereby upon obscuring selected portions of said tube on either side one of said characters 'is represented by the portions remaining exposed on that side, and means carried directly by said tube on each side thereof to obscure selected portions to display a character to View in each direction by the remaining portions.

13. In an electric sign, a luminous tube in the form of a display pattern formed by the superposition of a plurality of characters upon each other and provided with additional strokes to those thus assembled to complete the pattern so as to be symmetrical on avertical axis passing through the center thereof whereby upon obscuring selected portions of said tube on either side one of said characters is represented by the portions re maining exposed on that side, and shielding means carried by said tube fitting around the portions obscured and provided with edges'formed to out off to view portions of the tube to delineated curved portions of the tube remaining exposed, the exposed portions of the tube following in general the outline of the character displayed.

14. In an electric sign, a luminous tube in theform of a display pattern. formed by the superposition of a plurality of characters upon each other and provided with additional strolzes to those thus assembled to complete the pattern so as tobe symmetrical on a vertical axis passing through the center thereof whereby upon obscuring selected portions of said tube on either side one of said characters is represented by the portions remaining exposed on that side, and semi-circular obscuring shields secured directly to said tube and obscuring selectcdportions on each side of said tube to display a character to View on each side by the remaining portions.

15. In an electric sign, a luminous tube in the form of a display pattern formed by the superposition of a plurality of characters :upon each other and provided With additional strokes to those thus assembled to complete the pattern so; as to be symmetrical on a vertical axis passing'through the center thereof whereby upon obscuring selected portions of said tube on either side one of said characters is represented by the portions remaining exposed on that side, and semi-circular obscuring shields secured directly to said tube and obscuring selected portion on each side of said tube, said shields being provided with curved ends to cut off to View portions of said tube corresponding to curved corners of the characters displayed.

16. In an electric sign, a luminous tube in the form of a display pattern formed by the superposition of a plurality of characters upon each other and provided with additional strokes to those thus assembled to complete the pattern so as to be symmetrical on a vertical axis passing through the center thereof whereby upon obscuring selected portions of said tube on cit ier side one of said characters is represented by the portions remaining exposed on that side, and semi-circular shielding means secured to said tube and obscuring selected portions on each side to display a character by means of the remaining portions on each side, said shields being provided with flanges extending in the direction of the plane of said tube to additionally: obscure said tube in those portions which come into view around said shields from sharp angles of View except for the presence of said flanges. v

17. In an electric sign, a frame having an open space in which is supported a luminous tube visible from both sides thereof and in the form of a display pattern formed by the superposition of two characters upon each other in reverse, and light obscuring shields secured to said tube to obscure those parts of said tube not conforming to the characters which are displayed in the two directions by the portions remaining unobscured.

GEORGE T. soor'r. 

